I REGRET JOINING UPND - SATA
Mr. Sata said he learnt from his actions that perseverance was key and communication was very important.
IREGRET having left the Patriotic Front to join the United Party for National Development (UPND), it was only “foolish pride,” former Lusaka deputy and provincial minister Mulenga Sata has said.
Mr Sata, son to late President Michael Sata dumped the ruling party that his father founded three months ahead of the 2016 general elections and joined the UPND. He however rejoined PF in 2018.
He said it was a moment of weakness for him to join UPND and it was something he regretted.
“What I can say is that it was a moment of weakness and it is something I regretted immediately. But what I can say is that even then people still reached out to me,” Mr Sata said.
He said even though he left PF, some people still reached out to him to ask him back. He was speaking in an interview on Millennium Radio yesterday.
Mr. Sata said he learnt from his actions that perseverance was key and communication was very important.
He said people should understand that in the game of politics people can be misled to make certain decisions.
“My challenge then was foolish pride and the lesson learnt is that perseverance is key and communication is very important. In the game we are in, we must understand that people can mislead you to make wrong decisions,” Mr Sata said.
Meanwhile, Mr. Sata has clarified that he will only declare interest to contest the Kabwata parliamentary seat on August 12 if the incumbent, Mr Given Lubinda does not re-contest the seat.
He said if Mr. Lubinda was not his good friend he would have added his name to the list of those vying for the parliamentary seat.
“Yes, I would like to sit in parliament and deliberate issues that are brought in the house. I would like to go back to Kabwata because
that is where I started my political career from. If given Mr Lubinda was not the incumbent, I would have added my name,” Mr. Sata said.
He said his priority was to maximise the votes of President Edgar Lungu and the party and support whatever candidates the PF will have in all positions.
GOVERNMENT has received a grant from Japan for the redevelopment of the Luangwa Bridge.
The bridge is a key piece of infrastructure required to support increased trade traffic capacity on the Nakara corridor, connecting to Beira port in Mozambique.
Foreign Affairs Minister Joseph Malanji disclosed this in Chipata when he paid a courtesy call on the Ngoni Paramount Chief Mpezeni.
Mr. Malanji, who was companied by Eastern Province Minister, Makebi Zulu and ruling Patriotic Front vice chairperson for mobilisation Geoffrey Mwamba, said the Luangwa Bridge, which was built in the 1950s, is old and needs to be upgraded but did not disclose . how much the grant is.
He said the overnment wants to exploit the agricultural potential in the region.
Mr Malanji also said the government’s focus is to give impetus to the cotton farmers so that they can export the commodity to foreign markets like Turkey.
“We want to have one big farmer who will engage others in the out grower scheme for cotton. Turkey is a big market for textile and we want to export our cotton,” Mr. Malanji said. He said groundnuts farmers will also be supported as modalities are in place to start exporting peanut butter to Saudi Arabia.
And Paramount Chief Mpezeni welcomed the decision Government has taken to help cotton farmers and boost agriculture in general.